Founders

Jeff Hubbell

Jeff is a professor and founder of the Institute of Bioengineering at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL), and a professor at the Institute of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on engineering approaches to immunomodulation, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. Jeff has successfully spun-out several companies based on technology from his laboratories, co-founding Focal, Inc. (Lexington, MA) and founding Kuros Biosurgery AG (Zurich, Switzerland). He is a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering and a Member of the National Academy of Engineering

Stephan Kontos, PhD

Stephan is Chief Scientific Officer at Anokion, driving the technology forward from their research unit at the EPFL Innovation Park. He received his B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and moved to the EPFL for his doctorate. During his thesis work in Jeff Hubbell’s group, he developed the erythrocyte-binding tolerance technology that led to the foundation of Anokion and Kanyos Bio. Following completion of his PhD in Bioengineering, Stephan further advanced several design aspects of the core technology as a post-doctoral researcher.

Oscar Buset, PhD

Oscar is the head of administration of the School of Engineering at the EPFL. After obtaining his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the EPFL, he headed directly to the world of technology entrepreneurship. He has founded several start-ups based on his own IP (Snaketech, Kimotion Technologies) and has led them to successful exits.

Kristen M. Lorentz, PhD

Kristen is Director of Research at Anokion, focusing on the advancement of specific therapeutic applications of the core tolerance-induction technology. She received her B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University and went on to obtain her PhD in Bioengineering from the EPFL in Jeff Hubbell’s group. As a post-doctoral researcher, Kristen further developed the erythrocyte-binding tolerance technology that led to the foundation of Anokion.

David A. Lowin, JD

Dave is Anokion’s intellectual property attorney and in-house counsel. Dave studied law focusing on Patents at the Franklin Pierce Law Center (University of New Hampshire, USA) following completion of a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Hobart College (Geneva, New York, USA). He was of counsel in the landmark US Supreme Court case Diamond v. Diehr. Dave has over 18 years of in-house experience in the pharmaceutical industry, starting at Syntex and later serving as Vice President for Intellectual Property at Connetics (including their IPO) and Pharmacyclics. He has lectured on Patent Law at Stanford University School of Law and U.C. Berkeley’s Boalt Hall. Dave has been an independent practitioner since 2000.